Packaging and display box for an osteosynthesis assembly, protective set and display case comprising same

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a packaging and display box ( 100 ) for an osteosynthesis kit ( 10 ) comprising at least one plate ( 12 ) and at least one osteosynthesis screw ( 14 ). According to the invention, the box comprises at least a lid portion ( 120 ) and a bottom portion ( 110 ) defining a storage space ( 130 ), said lid portion ( 120 ) being made to be movable relative to said bottom portion by functional means ( 160 ). The box further comprises closure means ( 170 ). The box further comprises housing means ( 140 ) for housing said osteosynthesis kit ( 10 ) and suitable for being retained in said storage space ( 130 ), the housing means comprising at least one insert ( 142, 144 ) and being provided with at least one cavity ( 142 ) for receiving at least one plate ( 12 ) and at least one cell ( 144   a ) for receiving at least one screw ( 14 ).

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a packaging and display box for anosteosynthesis kit, said kit comprising at least one plate and at leastone screw.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Osteosynthesis screws and plates are used for reducing bone fractures,specifically for putting two bone fragments back into position relativeto each other and for holding them in position.

Such osteosynthesis screws and plates are conventionally used inparticular during maxillo-facial surgery, whether for repair purposes inorder to reduce an accidental fracture, or for functional and/or plasticsurgery purposes as is the case with osteotomies of the upper or lowerjaw.

During such surgery, the surgeon has available a set of plates and a setof fixing screws that have previously been extracted from theirrespective packaging (e.g. from a receptacle containing plates and fromanother receptacle containing fixing screws) prior to being sterilizedand then put on a tray that remains available throughout the surgery.

Depending on the type of intervention that is to be performed, the setof plates may comprise one or more optionally identical plates, and theset of screws may comprise one or more optionally identical screws.These sets are generally constituted by more than a single piece sinceeven when only one piece is required for the surgery, it is necessary tohave at least one other piece available as a spare in the event of thefirst piece to be handled being mechanically defective or no longer in asatisfactory aseptic state.

In addition, even when the type of plate and the type of screw that isto be used have been established beforehand, uncertainty can subsist asto the dimensions that are best suited to the morphology of the patient,in particular concerning the length of the screws to be used.

Consequently, numerous handling operations are required on thoseelements (plates and screws) forming the osteosynthesis kit, before,during, and after surgery:

before surgery: operating theater personnel must prepare the elements ofthe osteosynthesis kit, i.e. determine the type(s) of screw and plate tobe provided, and also the number(s) thereof, find them in stock, andthen sterilize them and put them into sealed envelopes; the elements arethen allowed to wait until shortly before surgery, at which moment thesealed envelopes are opened and the elements are placed on theabove-mentioned tray;

during surgery: some or all of the elements of the osteosynthesis kitwill be taken in forceps or some other suitable instrument prior tobeing put into place and fixed to the patient using instruments designedfor this purpose; the forceps (or other instrument) going back and forthbetween the tray and the patient or the above-mentioned instruments,leads to a risk of dirtying and contaminating elements that have not yetbeen used and that remain on the tray; and

after surgery: from the above, those elements that remain and that havenot been damaged from a mechanical point of view need to be subjected toa new step of cleaning and sterilization, regardless of whether or notthey have been touched by an instrument, prior to being returned tostock waiting to be selected for a forthcoming surgical intervention; inother words, under no circumstances are elements that remain stillsterile.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-specifiedproblems so as to enable the amount of handling that needs to beperformed in the operating theater to be reduced, including handlingconcerning sterilization, so as to provide the surgeon with anosteosynthesis kit that is directly suitable for use in the operatingtheater, while guaranteeing the quality and the sterility of theequipment constituting the osteosynthesis kit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To this end, the invention provides a packaging and display box which ischaracterized in that it comprises a bottom portion and at least one lidportion, said bottom portion comprising a bottom wall and a side wallupwardly extending the bottom wall around its entire periphery, therebydefining a storage space, functional means making said lid portionmovable relative to said bottom portion between an open position and aclosed position, in that said box further comprises reversible closuremeans placed on said bottom portion and on said lid portion and suitablefor co-operating in said closed position, and in that said box furthercomprises housing means for housing said osteosynthesis kit, saidhousing means being suitable for being held in said storage space andcomprising at least one insert, said housing means being provided withat least one cavity for receiving at least one osteosynthesis plate andat least one cell for receiving at least one osteosynthesis screw.

It will be understood that the box of the invention thus enables analready prepared and matched osteosynthesis kit to be provided that isdirectly suitable for use in operating theater.

Such a box is conventionally made of plastics material to keep downexpense and weight and must also satisfy the asepsis criteria of anoperating theater. When used during surgery, the box is taken directlyinto the aseptic operating theater.

To this end, in the present invention, provision is made for said box ofthe invention preferably further to comprise a heat-sealable filmenclosing said storage space. In this way, with a sterilizationoperation being performed under radiation, preferably using gamma rays,the film of heat-sealable plastics material is not damaged and it isguaranteed that the storage space that continues to be closed in sealedmanner by the heat-sealable film conserves its sterilized state.

In a preferred solution that makes it possible to provide traceabilityfor the box and the elements it contains constituting the osteosynthesiskit, provision is made for the face of the bottom wall that faces awayfrom said storage space to be provided with an identification mediumcarrying information relating to said osteosynthesis kit, in particularin the form of a bar code. By way of example, the identification mediumis constituted by a label made up of one or more portions.

The present invention also provides a protective unit including theabove-specified box, the box being received in a tray defining a housingsuitable for receiving said packaging box, which tray is provided with aheat-sealable film enclosing said housing.

In another aspect of the present invention, said protective unit asdefined in the preceding paragraph further comprises a protective andpackaging case suitable for surrounding said tray.

This serves to increase the number of layers providing the box and itscontent, i.e. said osteosynthesis kit, with mechanical and/or asepticprotection.

In a preferred embodiment, said protective case carries means forvisually identifying the type of osteosynthesis kit that is contained insaid packaging box. This makes it possible, merely by looking at theprotective case, to determine the makeup and the surgical indication forthe osteosynthesis kit contained in the box.

Preferably, said protective case comprises a bottom portion and a lidportion that are movable relative to each other between an open positionand a closed position, and said protective case further comprisesreversible closure means placed on said bottom portion and on said lidportion and suitable for co-operating in said closed position.

The present invention also provides a display chest for distributingosteosynthesis kits, the chest comprising a bottom portion fitted withcompartments each serving to receive a protective unit as defined above,and at least one lid portion that is movable relative to said bottomportion for the purpose of reversibly closing the space defined by thebottom portion, at least in part.

The invention will be better understood and the secondarycharacteristics and their advantages will appear on reading thedescription of an embodiment given below by way of example.

It should be understood that the description and the drawings are givenpurely by way of non-limiting indication.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view seen from a front corner and from aboveshowing a packaging and display box for an osteosynthesis kit inaccordance with the present invention, in an intermediate positionbetween its closed position and its open position;

FIG. 2 is a projection view from above of the bottom portion of the FIG.1 box;

FIG. 3 is a section view on III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a section view on IV-IV of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic fragmentary perspective view showing analternative embodiment of the bottom portion of the packaging box of thepresent invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the FIG. 1 box seen from behind while inits open position;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view from one of the corners and from above of atray containing a box of the invention in order to form a protectiveunit;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view from one of its corners and from above of aprotective case containing the FIG. 7 tray, the case being shown in itsopen position, and forming a protective unit; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view from one of its corners and from above ofan open display chest in which protective units as shown in FIG. 8 arestored.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The packaging and display box 100 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a bottomportion 110 and a lid portion 120.

The bottom portion 110 and the lid portion 120 are both generallyrectangular in shape having the same width and the same length, so thatthe lid portion 120 is suitable for closing the space 130 defined in thebottom portion 110.

It should be understood that other shapes could also be envisaged forthe bottom portion 110 and the lid portion 120 without thereby goingbeyond the ambit of the present invention, and circular, oval, oblong,square, triangular, parallelogram, polygonal, etc. shapes could equallywell be used in the same way.

The bottom portion 110 is constituted by a bottom wall 112 which isextended upwards around its entire periphery by a continuous side wall114 that forms a closed loop around the space 130. Thus, the bottom wall112 and the side wall 114 define the storage space 130 that is toreceive an osteosynthesis kit 10.

In FIG. 1, the osteosynthesis kit 10 comprises two osteosynthesis plates12 each in the form of a lozenge-shaped flat plate, and three screws 14.

In order to display the osteosynthesis kit 10 in a manner that servessimultaneously to identify clearly each of the elements of theosteosynthesis kit 10 and to make them easy to grasp individually, thestorage space 130 contains housing means in the form of an insert 140suitable for being made of a rigid molded plastics material, as are thebottom portion 110 and the lid portion 120.

The insert 140 has an outside shape that is complementary to the shapeof the storage space 130 defined by the bottom portion 110, so that innormal use the insert 140 remains housed in the storage space 130.

More precisely, and as can be seen in FIG. 1, the insert 140 comprisestwo distinct zones: a first zone defining a cavity 142 in which thereare placed the two plates 12 that are visible in FIG. 1; and a secondzone 144 comprising a plurality of cells 144 a for housing the screws 14individually.

In FIG. 1, the cavity 142 has a bottom that is formed by a support facefor the osteosynthesis plates, said support face 142 a being providedwith hollow zones 142 b in the form of small depressions.

These hollow zones 142 b are suitable for use as one of the elements ofretaining means designed to co-operate in reversible manner with anosteosynthesis plate 12 in order to hold it against the support face 142a.

These retaining means are shown more particularly in FIGS. 2 and 3: pegs141, each comprising two rod portions, are suitable for being receivedin one of the depressions 142 b, with the rod portion then projectingfrom the hollow zones 142 b so as to be suitable for being received inone of the holes in a plate (lozenge-shaped plate 12 or linear plate 12′as shown in FIG. 2). These pegs 141 form the other elements of theabove-mentioned retaining means since each peg serves in combinationwith one of the depressions 142 b to hold a plate against the supportface 142 a at a well-determined location.

In an alternative embodiment, the support face 142 a of the cavity 142of the insert 140 could be provided both with hollow zones and withprojecting zones.

Whatever their shape, these portions in relief enable the plates to beraised slightly so as to make them easier to grasp using an instrumentsuch as a forceps, in particular a forceps specially adapted for takinghold of plates of this type.

In particular, in a preferred alternative embodiment, the support face142 a of the cavity 142 is provided with ribs 142 c and with grooves 142b′ that are mutually parallel, so as to form a fluted surface on whichthe osteosynthesis plate 12 rests, as can be seen in FIG. 5.

Other shapes in relief presenting hollows and projecting zones couldnaturally be used in the same way.

With reference again to FIG. 1, the second zone 144 of the insert 140,which is shown as forming one of the corners of the storage space 130,has ten cells 144 a, each in the form of a hollow recess of a shape thatis complementary to the screw that is to be received in said cell.

The cells 144 a are made in the form of recesses having a shape enablingthe head of the screw 14 to be situated in the opening of the recess 144a. More precisely, the head of the screw 14 is level with, slightlyabove, or slightly below the plane of the opening 144 d of the recess144 a in such a manner as to make it possible in any event to gainaccess to the head of the screw 14 from said opening 144 d.

In particular, as can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, each cell 144 a isformed by a cylindrical portion 144 b of circular section and, in thevicinity of the opening of the cell 144 a, by a frustoconically-shapedportion 144 c, its conical shape flaring from said cylindrical portion144 b towards the opening 144 d of the cell 144 a.

The cells 144 a shown in FIG. 1 extend along a vertical axisperpendicular to the support face 142 a.

This also applies to cells 144 a shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 that are situatedin the second zone 144 defined in the bottom right corner of the storagespace 130 as shown in FIG. 2.

Cells of this shape cannot be used when the screws are of a length thatis greater than the thickness of the insert 140.

For such screws, a third zone 146 of the insert 140 is used, as can beseen in FIGS. 2 and 4. In this case, the cells 144 a′ extend in alongitudinal direction from an opening 144 d′ going down to the bottom144 e′, with this longitudinal direction sloping relative to a planeparallel to the bottom wall 112 or to the support surface 142 a.

In this way, the distance between the bottom 144 e′ and the opening 144d′ of the sloping cell 144 a′ forms a hollow recess of length that isgreater than the height of the insert 140 and the height of the sidewall 114 of the bottom portion 112.

It should be observed that instead of having a cylindrical portion 144 bof circular section, this portion may also be frustoconical in shape,tapering towards the bottom 144 e: this is shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 forthe sloping cells 144 a′. Under such circumstances, the portion 144 b′that is to receive the shank of the screw 14 flares much less than doesthe frustoconical portion 144 c′ that is to receive the head of thescrew.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the housing means for storing theosteosynthesis kit 10 are constituted by the insert 140 which is made asa single piece presenting both the first zone 142 and the second zone144.

Nevertheless, the storage space 130 could contain a plurality of insertsforming said housing means, and in particular at least a first insertfitted with the cavity 142 forming the first zone, and at least onesecond insert fitted with said cell 144 a or a plurality of cells 144 ain order to form the second zone 144.

For the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, in addition to a first insertforming the first zone 142 and a second insert forming the second zone144, the housing means further comprise a third insert 146 forming theabove-mentioned third zone and defining at least one cell 144 a′designed to receive an osteosynthesis screw, of length that is greaterthan the cells 144 a of the second insert 144 (second zone).

It should be understood that such a third insert 146 can either beformed integrally with the insert 140, or else it can be formed as oneor more separate parts.

In a variant embodiment that is not shown, the cells 144 a′ of the thirdzone 146 of the insert 140 that are to receive long screws can also beconstituted by a housing formed by a hollow surface provided with twoflats that slope relative to each other and relative to the face of thesupport 142 a, the shank and the head of an osteosynthesis screw comingto bear respectively against one or the other of the two sloping flats.

It will thus be understood that without modifying the bottom portion110, it is possible to house one or more inserts specifically forhousing one or more osteosynthesis plates and one or more osteosynthesisscrews, which plates and screws may optionally be different or mutuallyidentical.

Provision is also made for a heat-sealable film 150 to cover the freeedge of the side wall 114 of the bottom portion 110 so as to enclose thestorage space 130.

The presence of this film makes it possible to guarantee that thestorage space 130 and the elements it contains remains sterile, whilealso making it possible to guarantee, by visual inspection, that thisstorage space 130 has not been opened previously.

The lid portion 120 (shown in FIG. 1) is constituted mainly by a wallfor covering the opening of the storage space 130.

In order to be able to see inside the storage box 100, provision is madefor the lid portion 120 to be transparent, at least in part, andpreferably over its entire surface facing the opening of the bottomportion 110, i.e. facing the entire storage space 130.

Provision is advantageously also made for the lid portion 120 to beprovided with a magnifying glass 122 integrated in its wall.

This magnifying glass 122 serves, before the box 100 is opened, to showin enlarged manner the zone of the storage space 130 that is situated inregister with the magnifying glass 122.

In original manner, it is also possible to use the magnifying glass 122to enlarge an image or a mention carried by a disk placed on the insideface of the lid portion 120 in register with the magnifying glass 122(configuration not shown).

The lid portion 120 is mounted to move relative to the bottom portion110 by a hinge 160 which is shown as forming a pivot.

Naturally other types of functional elements suitable for allowing thelid portion 120 to move relative to the bottom portion 110 could be usedin the same manner as the hinge 160: for example, it is possible to usea slideway, so that the lid portion is made slidable relative to thebottom portion, or else a pivot having an axis that is not parallel tothe longitudinal edge of the rectangle constituting the general shape ofthe lid portion 120 and the bottom portion 110, i.e. a pivot presentingan axis perpendicular to the support face 142 a or to the bottom wall112.

In order to keep the packaging and presentation box 100 of the presentinvention in the closed position (not shown), provision is also made forthe bottom portion 110 and the lid portion 120 to present closure means170.

In the embodiment shown, these closure means 170 are constituted by asystem that clips by means of complementary shapes (see FIGS. 1 and 6).More precisely, the closure means comprise a tongue 172 placed along theedge of the lid portion 120 that is remote from the hinge 160, saidtongue 172 being suitable for co-operating by means of its complementaryshape with a notch 174 placed in the edge of the side wall 114 of thebottom portion 110, said edge facing away from the bottom wall 112 andthe hinge 160.

In another aspect of the present invention, and as can be seen in FIG.6, the face of the bottom wall 112 that faces away from said storagespace 130 is provided with a label 180.

This label 180 forms an identification medium carrying informationrelating to said osteosynthesis kit 10, in particular in the form of abar code.

More precisely, the label 180 is made up of three portions 180 a, 180 b,and 180 c, each of which carries the reference of the company thatprepared and sterilized the osteosynthesis kit 10 located inside the box100.

Each of these portions 180 a, 180 b, and 180 c carries a series ofinformation items including the serial number of the box 100, the batchnumber, and the references of each of the elements (plates 12 and screws14) making up the osteosynthesis kit 10, and information relating to thepositions of each of the elements in the osteosynthesis kit amongst thevarious housings (cavity 142 and cells 144 a, 144 a′).

Thus, after some of the elements making up the osteosynthesis kit 10that is housed inside the box 100 have been used, it is possible to knowwhich elements are missing in order to refill the box 100.

In addition, since the portions 180 a, 180 b, and 180 c of the label 180carries the same information, the portion 180 a can be stored forarchive purposes, while the portion 180 b can be stuck on the patient'sdossier, and the portion 180 c can be used in the report on theoperation.

In order to protect the packaging and display box 100 while it is beingtransported and before the osteosynthesis kit 10 it contains is used,the present invention also relates to a protective unit 200 whichcomprises not only the packaging box 100 as described above, but also:

a tray 210 (see FIG. 7) preferably made of a transparent or translucentplastics material, said tray 210 defining a housing suitable forreceiving the box 100, as can be seen in FIG. 7. This tray 210 isgenerally rectangular in shape and likewise comprises a bottom wall anda continuous side wall, and which projects upwards from the edges of thebottom wall and a heat-sealable film 210 serves to close the spacedefined by the tray 210 in sealed manner. The packaging box 100 ispreferably placed in the space defined by the tray 210, with the label180 facing towards the heat-sealable film 220 so that the label 180remains visible through the heat-sealable film; and

a protective and packaging case 230 (see FIG. 8) likewise made ofpreferably transparent or translucent plastics material, the case 230likewise comprising a bottom portion and a lid portion that are movablerelative to each other between an open position and a closed position,an external label 240 that is preferably situated on the side wall ofthe case 230 serving to form means enabling the type of osteosynthesiskit 10 contained in the packaging box 100 housed in the tray 210 to beidentified visually when the tray is in place in the bottom portion ofthe case 230. For this purpose, a color code carried by the externallabel 240 may serve to designate a particular type of osteosynthesis kit10.

In order to facilitate distribution of protective units 200 eachcomprising a respective packaging and display box 100, the presentinvention also provides for using a chest 300 (see FIG. 9) having aplurality of compartments 310 a for receiving protective units 200 and acompartment 310 b suitable for receiving, for example, surgicalinstruments for use during surgery involving the osteosynthesis kit 10contained in the box 100 of one of the protective units 200.

Thus, by means of the label 240 situated on each of the protective andpackaging cases 230 forming the outer envelope of the protective units200, it is possible quickly and simply to determine the particular typeof osteosynthesis kit 10 that is contained in each protective unit 200in order to select from the chest 300 the case containing the packagingand display box 100 containing the looked-for osteosynthesis kit.

In FIG. 9, the chest 300 also presents two lid portions 320 a and 320 bboth of which are mounted to pivot relative to the free edge of the sidewall of the bottom portion 310 so as to close in reversible manner thespace 330 defined by the bottom portion 310.

It should be observed that the elements forming the osteosynthesis kitshown in the above-described embodiment should not be restricted toequipment for performing osteotomy, in particular of the lower jaw, butthat it is appropriate to consider also using elements suitable forother kinds of maxillo-facial surgery, or more generally other kinds ofosteosynthesis surgery.

Thus, in general manner, the osteosynthesis kit may comprise one or moreplates and/or one or more screws and/or one or more pins and/or one ormore metal wires,

1. A packaging and display box (100) for an osteosynthesis kit (10),said osteosynthesis kit (10) comprising at least one plate (12) and atleast one osteosynthesis screw (14), wherein the box comprises a bottomportion (110) and at least one lid portion (120), said bottom portioncomprising a bottom wall (112) and a side wall (114) upwardly extendingthe bottom wall (112) around its entire periphery, thereby defining astorage space (130), functional means (160) making said lid portion(120) movable relative to said bottom portion between an open positionand a closed position, wherein said box further comprises reversibleclosure means (170) placed on said bottom portion (110) and on said lidportion (120) and suitable for co-operating in said closed position, andwherein said box further comprises housing means (140) for housing saidosteosynthesis kit (10), said housing means (140) being suitable forbeing held in said storage space (130) and comprising at least oneinsert (142, 144, 146), said housing means being provided with at leastone cavity (142) for receiving at least one osteosynthesis plate (12)and at least one cell (144 a, 144 a′) for receiving at least oneosteosynthesis screw (12).
 2. A box (100) according to claim 1, whereinsaid cavity (142) includes a support face (142 a) for supporting saidosteosynthesis plate (12), which face is provided with hollow zones (142b, 142 b′).
 3. A box (100) according to claim 2, wherein said supportface (142 a) is also provided with projecting zones (142 c).
 4. A box(100) according to claim 3, wherein said support face for supportingsaid osteosynthesis plate is provided with ribs (142 c) and with grooves(142 b′).
 5. A box (100) according to claim 1, wherein said cavity (142)includes a support face (142 a) for supporting said osteosynthesis plate(12), which face is provided with retaining means (142 b, 141) forco-operating reversibly with said osteosynthesis plate (12).
 6. A box(100) according to claim 1, wherein it further comprises a heat-sealablefilm (150) enclosing said storage space (130).
 7. A box (100) accordingto claim 1, wherein said face of the bottom wall (112) facing away fromsaid storage space (130) is provided with an identification medium (180)carrying information relating to said osteosynthesis kit (10).
 8. A box(100) according to claim 1, wherein said housing means are formed by aone-piece insert (140).
 9. A box (100) according to claim 1, whereinsaid housing means comprise at least one first insert (140) includingsaid cavity (142), and at least one second insert (144) including saidcell (144 a).
 10. A box (100) according to claim 9, wherein said housingmeans further comprise a third insert (146) defining at least one cell(144 a′) for receiving an osteosynthesis screw (14).
 11. A box (100)according to claim 1, wherein said cell (144 a, 144 a′) is formed by ahollow recess of shape that is complementary to said screw (14) so thatthe head of the screw (14) is situated in the opening (144 d) of saidrecess.
 12. A box (100) according to claim 11, wherein said hollowrecess (144 a′) presents a longitudinal direction going from its opening(144 d′) to its bottom (144 e′), said longitudinal direction beinginclined relative to said bottom wall (112) so that the distance betweenthe bottom (144 e′) and the opening (144 d′) of said hollow recess (144a′) is longer than the height of the side wall (114) of said bottomportion (110).
 13. A box (100) according to claim 1, wherein said lidportion (120) is at least partially transparent.
 14. A box (100)according to claim 13, wherein said lid portion (120) is provided with amagnifying glass (122) integrated in its wall.
 15. A protective unit(200) comprising a packaging and display box (100) according to claim 1together with a tray (210) defining housing suitable for receiving saidpackaging and display box (100) and provided with a heat-sealable film(220) closing said housing.
 16. A protective unit (200) according toclaim 15, wherein it further comprises a protective and packaging case(230) suitable for surrounding said tray (210).
 17. A protective unit(200) according to claim 16, wherein said protective and packaging tray(230) carries means (240) for visually identifying the type ofosteosynthesis kit (10) contained in said packaging and display box(100).
 18. A protective unit (200) according to claim 15, wherein saidprotective case (230) comprises a bottom portion and a lid portion thatare movable relative to each other between an open position and a closedposition, and in that said protective case further comprises reversibleclosure means disposed on said bottom portion and on said lid portionand suitable for co-operating in said closed position.
 19. A displaychest (300) for distributing osteosynthesis kits (10), the display chestcomprising a bottom portion (310) fitted with compartments (310 a) eachfor receiving a respective protective unit (200) according to claim 18,and at least one lid portion (320 a, 320 b) movable relative to saidbottom portion (310) and designed to close in reversible manner at leastpart of the space (330) defined by the bottom portion (310).